Florida Keys holiday traditions center around the one and only Santa Keys — a jolly bearded fellow who brings cheer to those who aren’t lucky enough to live in the Keys, and to the underwater creatures in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. What happens on the night before Christmas? Santa Keys makes his rounds!
No one can deny that 2020, and its holiday season, are different than any other year in memory. Whether grief and loss, economic fears or the stress of isolation, almost everyone is feeling the effects of the world’s coronavirus pandemic. Yet even so, it’s possible to find occasional bright spots that bring hope.
Among the Florida Keys’ most iconic landmarks is the "Christ of the Abyss" statue, placed in the waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in 1965. Also called “Christ of the Deep,” the 9-foot bronze is a symbol for Key Largo's John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, which is part of the sanctuary.
GayCities.com has unveiled an innovative lineup of categories for its "Best of 2020" awards — and the Florida Keys & Key West are nominated in three of the nine categories. Support the easygoing island chain by voting for Higgs Beach, Fort Jefferson and Dry Tortugas National Park, and the iconic Overseas Highway road trip.
With an abundance of colorful subtropical fruits and flowers, the Florida Keys are rich in soothing organic and sustainable ingredients for luxury skin care and bath products. Easily ordered online, these products make great holiday gifts — providing a way to create an at-home spa experience that evokes warm, fragrant memories of the Keys.
Kelly McKinnon, executive director of the Pigeon Key Foundation, is one of four residents of the historic island beneath the Middle Keys’ Old Seven Mile Bridge. The 5-acre Pigeon Key once housed laborers building the 1900s-era Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad, and Kelly is committed to its sustainability and future as a cultural attraction.
With so many good restaurants in Key West, ranging from intimate bistros and gourmet emporiums to waterfront seafood spots, the choice can sometimes be bewildering for visitors. What's the best tactic for finding an island-style culinary gem? Ask a local resident for recommendations — and they’ll likely include the Flaming Buoy Filet Co.
Tastes and flavors of the Florida Keys are embedded deeply in the memories of visitors far and wide, so why not surprise family members and good friends this season with delicious gifts of edible or sippable Keys creations? Gifts of food from the island chain are sure to delight even the pickiest recipients.
Until a few years ago, the Lower Keys were home to a peculiar landmark: a shingled tower rising behind the Sugarloaf Lodge, located at mile marker 17 on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway. Tall and weather-beaten, looming over its surroundings, it was a strange monument to an innovative idea hatched in bygone days.
These days, many people find satisfaction and purpose in helping others in need — including two Key Westers who are longtime volunteers for a heartwarming local organization. “Cooking With Love” exemplifies the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, and gives back to the community in the Florida Keys’ true "One Human Family" fashion.